1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to data mapping software and methods for mapping data from a plurality of different data sources.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In complex processes such as manufacturing, data may be collected throughout various steps of the manufacturing process. The type of data collected usually relates to various characteristics or parameters of the process. In some highly complex processes, often times hundreds or thousands of pieces of data are collected at various times. The data is then stored in different databases or distributed throughout various locations. However, it is generally difficult for users to access and analyze the data stored in multiple and various data sources.
Conventionally, users generally have to manually locate, extract and format desired data from different sources. For instance, if a user were desirous of tracking the temperature of a mixture to the resulting viscosity of the mixture, the user would generally be required to manually associate these two pieces of data as desired. Each time the user needs to analyze data, they generally must repeat this manual process based on their knowledge of the relationship between the various data sets and the format required for the data analysis. This manual process can be time consuming, cumbersome and highly error prone.
Accordingly, a system and method is needed for mapping preexisting data from disparate data sources regarding various processes or characteristics of an overall process. It is against this background that various embodiments of the present invention were developed.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide method for analyzing processes such as manufacturing processes, synthesis processes and inventory tracking processes that may employ data from different sources.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for analyzing processes such as manufacturing processes, synthesis processes and inventory tracking processes that allow discrete, replicate and continuous data to be displayed concurrently to a user and used concurrently by a user.
According to first broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for accessing, displaying and analyzing, a process comprising: providing at least one discrete data set comprising discrete data about at least one first step of the process; providing at least one continuous data set comprising continuous data about at least one second step of the process; grouping the discrete data and the continuous data into analysis group data based on at least one identification code and at least one parameter value of the discrete data and the continuous data; and displaying particular data about the process based on the analysis group data, wherein the displayed data is based on original data from at least two different data sources.
According to a second broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a machine readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more electronic devices to perform a set of operations comprising: providing at least one discrete data set comprising discrete data about at least one first step of the process; providing at least one continuous data set comprising continuous data about at least one second step of the process; grouping the discrete data and the continuous data into analysis group data based on at least one identification code and at least one parameter value of the discrete data and the continuous data; and displaying displayed data on a visual display device about the process based on the analysis group data, wherein the displayed data is based on original data from at least two different data sources.
According to a third broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a database mapping system comprising: data nodes; and data leaves, wherein the data nodes and the data leaves are organized in a hierarchy and wherein each of the data leaves is associated with at least one of the data nodes and wherein the data leaves represent data for a process.
According to a fourth broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a database mapping system comprising: data nodes; and data leaves, wherein the data nodes and the data leaves are organized in a hierarchy and wherein each of the data leaves is associated with at least one of the data nodes and wherein the data leaves represent data from different data sources.
According to a fifth broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for displaying data to a user comprising: providing data nodes and data leaves; organizing the data nodes and the data leaves into a hierarchy wherein each of the data leaves is associated with at least one of the data nodes; storing data for a process in the data leaves; and displaying at least some of the stored process data to the user on a visual display apparatus.
Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.